# Tennessee HB 0959: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33 and Title 63, relative to mental health. Tennessee HB 0959, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33 and Title 63, relative to mental health., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2025-04-28 (Effective date(s) 04/11/2025, 07/01/2025, 01/01/2026) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0959-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Tennessee HB 0959 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33 and Title 63, relative to mental health. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-05 - Last action: 2025-04-28, Effective date(s) 04/11/2025, 07/01/2025, 01/01/2026 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Medical Occupations - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (237 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Exam-free Tennessee licenses for experienced counselors: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, the board can license qualifying out-of-state professional counselors at an equivalent level without an exam. Applicants must hold a valid license without restrictions from another U.S. state, territory, or federal district. One route requires a graduate degree of at least 6… - More supervised training for family therapists: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, marriage and family therapy students can provide services without the usual license. Their work must be part of an accredited degree program and supervised through a board-approved program or arrangement. Students can use “marital therapy intern,” “family therapy trainee,… - New supervised licenses for counselors: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, the board can issue associate licenses to professional counselor applicants designated as mental health service provider applicants. Applicants must complete the required coursework and training, pass the board’s exam, submit both license applications, and pay required fe… - New supervised licenses for family therapists: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, the board can issue associate licenses to marriage and family therapy applicants with the required coursework and training. Applicants must submit an application, proof of an agreement with an approved supervisor, and required fees. They can practice under an approved sup… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Karen D. Camper (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: T.J. Hardaway (Democrat), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-03 | House | FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 2 4/3/2025 | pass | 85 | 0 | | | 2025-03-27 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/27/2025 | pass | 32 | 0 | | | 2025-03-10 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/10/2025 | pass | 94 | 0 | | | 2025-03-10 | House | HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-04 | House | HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE | pass | 18 | 0 | | | 2025-02-26 | House | HOUSE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 0 | | ## Actions (28) - 2025-04-28: Effective date(s) 04/11/2025, 07/01/2025, 01/01/2026 - 2025-04-28: Pub. Ch. 204 - 2025-04-11: Signed by Governor. - 2025-04-07: Transmitted to Governor for his action. (House) - 2025-04-07: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Signed by H. Speaker (House) - 2025-04-03: Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. (House) - 2025-04-03: H. concurred in S. am. no. 2 Ayes 85, Nays 0 PNV 3 HB0959 (House) - 2025-03-31: H. Placed on Message Calendar 4/3/2025 (House) - 2025-03-27: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Senate) - 2025-03-27: Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0156) (Senate) - 2025-03-27: Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0155) (Senate) - 2025-03-27: Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Received from House, Passed on First Consideration (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. (House) - 2025-03-10: Passed H., as am., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0 (House) - 2025-03-10: Sponsor(s) Added. (House) - 2025-03-10: H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0032) (House) - 2025-03-06: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/10/2025 (House) - 2025-03-05: Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/6/2025 (House) - 2025-03-04: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee (House) - 2025-02-26: Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/4/2025 (House) - 2025-02-26: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee (House) - 2025-02-19: Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 2/26/2025 (House) - 2025-02-11: Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee (House) - 2025-02-10: P2C, ref. to Health Committee (House) - 2025-02-06: Intro., P1C. (House) - 2025-02-05: Filed for introduction (House) ## Bill text - HA0032 (Substitute), 2025-03-10: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0032.pdf) - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0204.pdf) - Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB0789.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0959.pdf) - SA0155: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0155.pdf) - SA0156: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0156.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 0794: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 29; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and… (failed) - HB 0489: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 55, relative to criminal law. (failed) - HB 0162: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes. (failed) - SB 2733: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 2004; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative t… (failed) - SB 2702: AN ACT to amend Chapter 154 of the Private Acts of 1955; as amended by Chapter 158 of the Private Acts of 1988; Chapter 204 of the Private Acts of 1990; and an… (failed) - SB 2690: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026,… (signed) ## Sources - [HA0032 (Substitute) (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0032.pdf) - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0204.pdf) - [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB0789.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0959.pdf) - [SA0155 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0155.pdf) - [SA0156 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0156.pdf) ## Related - [HB 0794: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; T…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0794-2025-2026) - [HB 0489: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Titl…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0489-2025-2026) - [HB 0162: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0162-2025-2026) - [SB 2733: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 8…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2733-2025-2026) - [SB 2702: AN ACT to amend Chapter 154 of the Private Acts of 1955; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2702-2025-2026) - [SB 2690: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2690-2025-2026) - [Tennessee bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee/bills) - [Tennessee state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0959-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).